Most AI budgets underestimate true cost by 40-60% because vendors don't list training, integration, or change management on the pricing page. This template captures every category so your number stands up to scrutiny.

What's inside

Year-1 implementation costs, ongoing operating costs, training and adoption budget, plus a contingency factor calibrated to AI's real-world cost overrun rate. Use it once per significant initiative.

How to use it

  1. Use it as a starting structure, not a rigid form. Templates exist to remove blank-page friction, not to constrain thinking.
  2. Customize the sections that don't fit. Anything you leave in 'just because' will haunt you later.
  3. Save your filled version somewhere durable. Templates are most valuable the second and third time you use them.